Forever
by Darkness's Angel
Summary: Hermione Granger has graduated Hogwarts and is finally getting married, but not to the love of her life. What happens when he shows up, and on her wedding day no less?


Forever 

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. The quote isn't mine either.

"Never say I love you if you really don't care. Never talk about feelings if they aren't really there. Never hold my hand if you're going to break my heart. Never say you're going to if you don't plan to start. Never look into my eyes if all you do is lie. Never say hello if you really mean goodbye. If you really mean forever then say you'll try. Never say forever because forever makes me cry."

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Hermione Ann Granger sat in front of her mirror, adjusting her wedding veil. Yes, her wedding veil. She was getting married. She was marrying Dean Thomas, the man she loved. She was no longer the short, bushy-haired know-it-all. She had grown. She was around 5'''5, and her bushy hair had become tame, it was now straight and sleek. In fact, the only thing that was possible the same was her honey-brown eyes. 

'In a few hours I'll be Mrs. Dean Thomas. Why do I feel funny every time I think that?' she asked herself.

'Cause you don't truly love him. You still love-' her subconscious was cut off due to Ginny Weasley's appearance. 

"You look gorgeous Herms," Ginny said. Ginny was not the little girl she used to be. She had grown into a beautiful young woman. She still had her shiny, red hair and brown eyes, yet she was now a good 5'''7, curvy, and had a slight tan. The blue Maid of Honor dress she was wearing brought out how red her hair had become, and how grown up she looked.

Hermione smiled at her. "You don't look so bad yourself." Ginny laughed. 

"So are you ready?" Ginny asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replied as she smiled. Ginny couldn't help but notice that it hadn't reached her eyes.

"I can't believe in a few short hours my best friend will be a married woman, much less, Mrs. Thomas," she joked.

"What? Is it so hard to believe that I'm finally settling down," Hermione inquired.

"No, I suppose not, I just always thought you'd marry someone else is all," Ginny answered," Me, I'll never get married."

"You're one to talk Mrs. Soon-to-be-Malfoy," Hermione mischievously replied. It wasn't a secret that Draco Malfoy fancied Ginny. 

"Oh, be quiet you. Well, I have Maid of Honor duties to go do. I'll see you later Herms," Ginny replied. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* With Ginny *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I walked out of the room and down the stairs.

'I hope she's alright. When I walked in there before she had this faraway look in her eye. I hope she's not thinking of him again. After everything she's been through, she finally found happiness and I'm going to make sure nothing spoils it, not even that little…' 

"Hello Ginny."

Hearing my name pulled me from her thoughts. I looked up and stared right into two pools of deep green.

'No, it couldn't be. There's no way.'

~*~*~*~*~*~* With Hermione *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After Ginny left the room, I couldn't shake the last statement that she had said.

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" I just always thought you'd marry someone else is all…"

'She couldn't of meant him, could she,' I wondered silently. My memories seemed to flash before my eyes. 'No not this again, I don't _need_ to see this, especially since that part of my life is over,' I thought. Though my subconscious had other ideas.

*** Flashback***

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"Mione, come with me I have something to show you," Harry said, grabbing her hand as the exited the Gryffindor Common Room. They had been in their Seventh Year at Hogwarts, studying down in the Common Room for the N.E.W.T.S Exams, when Harry dragged Hermione up to the Astronomy Tower. 

"What was so important that you wanted me to see Harry, that it couldn't wait 'til after I was doing studying for Potions?" Hermione asked him as they descended the stairs to the top of the tower. 

"You'll see soon, besides you study to much anyway," he replied with a lopsided grin. They were about to reach the trap door to the roof, when he said," Now I want you to close you're eyes Mione." She looked up at her boyfriend with a glare. 

"Should I dare ask why?" She said teasingly. He in turn gave her a playful smile. 

'That smile always makes me give in,' she thought. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and then shut them. She heard he laugh, the open the trap door. He guided her to the middle of the tower. 

Harry let go of her hands only to put his arm around her waist and said," You can open them." Hermione opened her eyes hesitantly and gasped in surprise. The stars were shining brightly all over the sky, and you could make out the redness of mars.

"Harry it's beautiful," Hermione said, as she turned to him. She looked into his eyes and saw passion, understanding, and love. 'Love?' she wondered. Harry's voice broke her wondering.

"Hermione Granger you have been my best friend for seven years. You've been there for me through think and thin. You've helped me with whatever came my way from Voldemort to studying for my potions test. (She laughed at this.) It's taken me years to finally stop being a dumb prat to finally tell you this, (Hermione was vaguely reminded of when he asked her out) but I love you, I always have, and I always will." 

Hermione had tears streaming down her face. Harry was dumbstruck. "What did I say it wrong?" Hermione started laughing through her tears.

"Oh honesty Harry! No you dumb prat." She leaned up and brushed her lips against his, then pulled back. "I love you too," she said. Harry smiled down at her, and captured her lips with his. She felt like this moment could last forever. 

When they finally parted Harry questioned teasingly," Forever?" 

"Forever," Hermione responded, kissing him again, then smiling against his lips.

*** End of Flashback***

That had been the first time he had ever told me he loved me. 'Forever has gone by quickly, hasn't it,' I thought bitterly. "Only fools believe love can last forever," I said. I hadn't realized that I had voiced the last statement out loud until another voice questioned my statement.

"Do you really believe that, Mione."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* With Ginny *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Harry," I said. I stared at the man before me. He hadn't changed all that much since he had disappeared five years ago. He had gotten a lot taller, standing about 6'''0. His shoulders broader, a little bit more muscular, but other than that, he was the same old Harry. "Why are you here," I heard my voice ask before I realized it. He just looked at me. His eyes said it all, yet I couldn't let him ruin this for her. 

"You know perfectly well why I'm here Gin," he replied. I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Give me one good reason why I should let you up the stairs Harry. Give me one good reason why I should let you see her. Especially now when she has finally found happiness after what you did. Do you know how hard it was for her after you left? We all knew you weren't dead after the final battle, yet you still left, without no goodbyes, or anything. Can you imagine the type of pain you put her through, only to come back five years later, on her wedding day no less? So tell me Harry, what reason is there that should let me step aside so you can throw my best friend's life into mayhem," I asked him angrily.

"Because I love her Gin, I always have," he said. Just those three little words, _I love her_ said it all. I wanted to scream if you loved her why did you leave five years ago. I wanted to hit him for Herms, or something, but that look in his eye stopped me. His eyes were full of sorrow, regret, and love? I knew I had to do this, I stepped aside and watched him walk up the stairs.

"Please forgive me Herms, I hope I did the right thing," I said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* With Harry *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I reached the top of the stairs. Ginny inadvertently had forgotten to tell me which room Mione was in, yet I felt as though I already knew. I walked down the hall to the last door on the right. It was open so I walked in. There she was. She looked so beautiful. I knew by the way she was standing that she didn't know I was there. 

She was gazing out at her window, by the far side of the room. Her hair was piled on top of her head, her headpiece surrounding that. Her wedding dress had spaghetti strips and it flowed all the way down to the ground. She looked like an angel.

I only realized I had been staring when I heard her speak. 

"Only fools believe love can last forever," she said. I knew then exactly what she was thinking of.

"Do you really believe that Mione?" I asked. 

____________* Hermione's point of view *____________

"Do you really believe that Mione." I froze. I didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. It was him. Why of all the days to pop back into my life, did he chose the one day I didn't need him to? Part of me didn't want to believe he was here. If I turned around my guess would be either valid, or invalid. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to be right.

I turned my head towards the door, and came face-to-face with Harry. I fully turned so I wasn't angled towards the window. He was still as handsome as he had always been. Suddenly all those feelings that I had once been able to keep under control, came undone. I was slowly becoming undone. He stepped in toward me. "I have no reason to believe other wise," I responded concerning his earlier statement. 

"You know that's not true, you're proof is standing right here," he said. I walked closer to him. 

"I still love you, I always have," he said.

"What now Harry. Do you expect me to run into your arms, say how much I _still_ love you and forgive the fact that you ran out of my life five years ago?" I asked him. I turned away from him, I couldn't look him in the eye. I was so angry, and upset, yet glad? He didn't say anything for awhile, yet I could her his footsteps as he walked closer to me. I was about to step away, when he put his arms around me, for the back, and twirled me around so I was now facing him.

"No, I know everything isn't going to be alright in about two minutes of arriving back into your life. I do know however that if you marry Dean, then you'll be making a bigger mistake then you are by never forgiving me," he answered. Part of me wanted to leave is warm embrace, but the other part was so happy to finally be back were I felt the safest. Besides, Harry had his arms around my waist, so I couldn't run even if I wanted too.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," I retorted to him, my head bowed down staring firmly at his shirt. His hand traveled down her cheek, finally resting at her chin, as he brought it upwards. 

"Look me in the eye, and tell me you're in love with Dean and you have no feelings what so ever for me," he said. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't. I couldn't tell him that. It just hit me like a ton of bricks. If I even attempted to say that, then I'd be lying, I still loved Harry, and he was right, for once that is. I couldn't marry Dean if I loved him more. I remained quiet. 

"You cant do it can you?" he asked. It was more of a statement though, and he knew it. We stared at each other for what seemed like hours. He lowered his head down to mine, and kissed me full on the lips. I responded, kissing him back. All the love and passion that had been built up for the last five years was put into that once single kiss. All the emotion we both had. All my doubts were stripped away, only confirming my deepest fear. I belonged with Harry. When we finally pulled apart, I turned away.

"What would you have me do Harry? You've confirmed your suspicions. I still love you, always have. Are you going to leave me again like you did five years ago?" I asked him. 

"I couldn't do that Mione," he said. He pulled me closer against him. I turned my head into his chest. I could smell the same scent that had been locked up in my memory far to long. He seemed like freshly cut grass, with a bit of rain, mixed in with his favorite cologne. 

"What's to stop you from doing it again?" I asked, my voice muffed slightly because of his chest. 

"I left the first time to protect you Mione, if I had stayed, Voldemort's old supporters would have had an easier time to track me down. You would have been a prime target, and I couldn't do that. I love you too much to put you in that type of danger. I've regretted it ever since. I'm asking you Mione, don't do it. Don't marry Dean," He replied the last sentences coming out almost desperately.

I looked up into his eyes, and I knew he was being sincere. I leaned upward and kissed him. It wasn't passionate, or demanding, not really even desperate. It just was. I pulled away and said," I couldn't marry Dean even if I wanted to." He smiled down at me. I wanted to stay in his arms longer, but I knew that I had to go and talk to Dean. "A much as I'd love to stay here, I have to talk to Dean." He reluctantly let me go. 

I walked across the hall and stormed into the room occupied by my husband to be. He was pretty much shocked. "Herms, what are you doing in here? You know it's bad luck to see each other before the wedding."

I looked at him. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about that." Dean sat on the edge of the bed and patted next to him. I walked over and sat down. "I'm so sorry Dean, I can't do this. I can't go through with it. It wouldn't be fair to me, him, or to you. You deserve someone who has you first, someone who will love you forever. I can't do that Dean. I can't put you first, or love you for the rest of my life, when I love someone else." I took a chance to look at him. Surprisingly he wasn't too upset. "I don't want you to hate me either," I said quietly," but I'd understand if you did."

"I don't hate you Herms. I think apart of me always knew you belonged with him. It was like some rule, or something. Part of me was waiting for him to come back and reclaim what was always his," Dean said. He smiled at the confused written all over my face. He pulled me into a hug, and whispered into my ear," Go to him." We pulled back, smiled at each other one last time, then I practically ran into the other room where Harry was waiting. 

I stopped right in front of him. He encircled my waist with his arms, and I looked up at him, straight into his emerald green eyes. It was then I knew this was exactly where I wanted to be for the rest of my life, forever.

~Fin~

~~~A/N~~~

This was my first fanfic, please don't flame me 2 bad… please review.. =)


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